Nancy's Backsplash

Look for me speaking in pink.

Dear Christine,
I haven't seen backsplashes addressed in your blog. That must mean you were just waiting for someone like me to ask the question! Yep - I was just waiting for you!
We are doing some kitchen remodeling and I'd like some creative input so I can make my backsplash selection. The cabinets will be natural alder in a shaker style. The countertops will be Absolute Black granite. Since I have never even thought about backsplashes, I am overwhelmed by the number of choices available.
I like some of the black and white backsplashes I have seen and I think that would look good with my black countertops. Yeahhh-- I wouldn't. I don't see white with your cabinets - I would go warmer. I also like the idea of incorporating my floor tile in the backsplash. It's available in 12" and 6" tiles. Yeahhhh-- I wouldn't. This is up there with having a coffee table that matches the end tables that matches the entertainment center. That kind of selection is for people that don't know how to coordinate. :) (Don't take anything I say personally - that goes for all of you...) It's slate gray that looks bluish. However- we need to remember the flooring when selecting the backsplash... Also I could incorporate some color that goes with the cabinets. My cabinet color is pretty warm and I don't want the backsplash to clash with the cabinets.
All the backsplashes are 18" high but behind the cooktop it's 29". Also I don't need to keep all the backsplash areas we now have when we get the new stuff in. We'll have a cabinet wall on the left side of the refrigerator that we have the option of adding backsplash to. The white refrigerator and cooktop are going to stay for the time being, but we plan to replace them with black. Same with the dishwasher. We're getting new black ovens.
I'm open to any ideas you have, so go for it!
Thanks,
Nancy

OK- so these are the elements we are working with - warm light cabinets, black counters, and a bluish gray floor. Here are some options:

1. Slate- slate is famous for having a lot of bluish gray - mixed with warm tones.
2. You can get some beautiful raised patterns - I love the weave below - the little bit of warm mixed through will look wonderful with your cabinets...
3. I am doing a bathroom as we speak with a flooring similar to the one below - a pebble mosaic with black, gray and light warm tones - this would also look great in your kitchen...
4. Don't think that you have to include black in your backsplash. The counters are your neutral - a stone basket weave like the one below would be perfect- it has the blueish gray, the warm tones- and would be very pretty (a lot more intense once it is sealed). What do you think? Anyone have a favorite for Nancy?

P Dub needs me again :)

Dear Pioneer Woman,

Just in case you actually view my blog- know that I have helped you in the past: here and here.

PW is working on another little project that she needs my help with. Currently she has 1010 comments from amateurs. I thought I would add my 2 cents.

PW: When my mother-in-law and I were sketching out this area, she said, “How ’bout if we put a niche right here?” And she pointed to the corner area of the wall.
“YEAH!” I said. “AWESOME! Let’s put a niche right here!”
Then said, “What’s a niche?”
My mother in law laughed, thinking I was kidding.
I wasn’t kidding.
This is a niche, I would later find out:

A niche, technically, is a recess in a wall for a statue or urn. Right now, our niche is holding a pop can.
(Important Note: “Pop” means “Soda“, for those of you who live in California and the Northeastern states; “Coke” for those of you who live in the deep south. Thus endeth this lesson on geographical jargon.)
I like our niche. We installed a light at the top to shine down on whatever statue, urn, or jumbo-sized Precious Moments figurine we decide to put there, and it’s sort of a nice feature for the front entryway.

I’m looking for a few good ideas for the niche, though.

Should we put a big chunk of stone surface at the base of it, and some kind of bronze sculpture on top? Or would a chunky piece of wood be better? Or should we keep it subtle and have a thin, simple surface in there? Should we paint the inside of the niche a contrasting color to the surrounding wall? Should there be shelves in the niche, or should we keep it open as it is? I love your ideas.
And most importantly, how do you pronounced “niche?”
Do you say “nitch“?
Or “neesh“?
I feel the need to settle this important matter before we move onto the next phase.

MY ADVICE:

Dear PW,

I know that you will never read my blog- but I still think we would be good friends, and you should just ask me when you have questions like this :) Did I mention that we both have two girls and two boys? See- we have things in common. We could be friends! I could help you with things like your niche.

Your kids:
My Kids:

You see- they could be friends too- clearly they all like candy (as yours are eating it, and mine are ready to go beg for it.) My kids wish they were cowboys (girls)- your kids are the real deal. They have so much in common- They would get along great!

OK- my advice for your niche:

I like the idea of changing the surface of the niche. Consider bead board, or a mosaic slate. Your area is small- so go for the stuff you wanted in your shower- but cost too much. I told Coleen, in a previous post to use something like this in her niche:

Perhaps a smaller scale in your niche:

That feel would work great in your place as well.

Another idea? You could have stained concrete covering the surface of the niche- with a thick piece of concrete on the base- I don't have a picture of that one for you- but it would look fabuloso!- (and could be any color)

Do not keep the niche the same color as the rest of the walls. If you don't change the surface (which I recommend that you do)- at least change the paint.

Whenever you have a lit area- I would not do shelves unless they were glass, so the light could permeate. On a corner, I would not do glass. It doesn't seem practical with kids and cowboys :)- so I am saying- no shelves.

I like your idea of the jumbo sized precious moments figure (Isn't she funny?)- but if you can't find one big enough...

Finding the right sized item is the most important thing to consider- like a vase from Mattews and Company- their look would be great in your lodge. You mentioned before that you wanted a "zen- like" feel- or maybe that was only for the bathroom- anyway- how about a yoga statue? Oh, you are right- we need more of a vertical feel in your niche. :)These Copper Birch vases from Gumps of SF would be perfect in your place- cut some cool branches, and have them poking out.

I would keep it just like they have it with the glass leaves sitting there- how cool are those? (Gumps again)

Choose both the background of your niche, and your dispay item prior to starting, as you want to make sure you have contrast in the two. If your display item is gray, you might want to go with a gold color in the mosaic- a gray vase, and a gray slate would be far less dramatic.

You could also go with just the right plant- like this Whisper Lady's Slipper Orchid:

OK- there you have it, ignore the gazillion comments from amateurs and just ask me :)

Coleen's Living Room

Dear Christine,

I saw you at the gym today and it reminded me that I hadn't sent you photos of my living room. Right now all the walls are white and have a rough stucco texture. The living room is the 1st room one walks by upon entering our home. Many people say they like it, but I would like to add some color - I'm just not sure what color to add. Any suggestions would be terrific!

Thanks,

Coleen

Dear Coleen,

I have some ideas for you- in the pictures, (as far as color goes, I see red, chocolate brown, beige and cream. Adding color is a great idea- let me give you some different things to think about.

#1 You want to have good contrast. Contrast with the sofa material- (do not select a nice light beige or cream that will be too similar to your sofa, or clash with your shades). You also want a color that will compliment your red that I see a lot of on the wall.

#2 Rarely, in my opinion, should your wall color be the dominant feature in a room. (This is not the case in a very modern design) I feel like the wall color should accent and draw attention to, not away from your art work, and wall decor.

#3 Complimentary color schemes are color combinations that are opposite each other on a color wheel- examples would be red and green, yellow and purple, orange and blue.

Complimentary color schemes help the colors to "pop"- which is not always the objective- but can really work to your advantage. With the red chargers and art work on your walls, I think it would be great to have a "complimentary" color on the wall- to make them "pop" and show off even better.

So- my suggestion- green on the walls. But not like that might sound. I would suggest a khaki green. This will keep the walls understated, but create a more intimate environment, and good contrast with your wall decor.

I would add some throw pillows that have a combination of red, khaki, and dark brown (approximately your leather color). These are key to help everything pull together. It might be a good idea to find the pillows or pillow fabric first, and then select your actual paint color, as there are many different options of paint, and finding the perfect fabric or pillow might be more limiting.- But if you would like to paint this weekend, and want specifics, I can tell you that I like Sherman Williams Universal Khaki 6150, and Hardware 6172, and Chatroom 6171. I ordered your some 8 1/2 x 11 samples of these colors, and 6 others. I ordered 3 coppies of each color, so you can put them next to your floor, next to your sofa, different places, different lighting, so we make a really smart decision.

#4 It is ALWAYS a good idea to get a sample quart before painting. Even with a ton of experience, I still do this every time. A paint that looked great on one job, might not work at all in a different home. Flooring, lighting, everything makes such a difference.

Thanks for your question, feel free to follow up with more questions, and we would love to see "after" pictures when you paint!

One more idea for you. Your architectural niches are the perfect place to change the surface of your walls- the above picture is from Walker Zanger's Shibui slate collection- picture something like this in the niches, instead of paint. You can hang your wall decor right over it.

- Christine